Learning one of the most spoken languages on our planet can be a feat in itself. Finding the right program to teach you to speak Spanish can be daunting and discouraging. With so many language-learning programs to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

We’ve tried to take the work out of it for you with our review of one of those Spanish-learning programs: Ouino. How does it measure up overall and against the competition?

Ouino Spanish Review: Overview

To sign up for Ouino Spanish, you will need to purchase and download the program from their website. It is a large file, so make certain you have the room on your device. We found this to be a bit archaic, because most other language-learning programs operate ‘in the cloud’ without the need for downloading software. On the other hand, one bonus is that you will have access to Ouino when you’re offline (except on mobile devices.)

Ouino claims to be a five-in-one learning software that is well-suited for most learning types. The five core concepts used include:

All around Ouino offers Spanish practice in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Each section offers over 50 lessons where you can watch videos, listen to audio lessons, or complete the exercises and games. It also offers a mobile app, but you cannot use it unless you are online.

Ouino PROS

Pro #1: Useability

Ouino has a visually attractive platform. One might assume it has been designed by professional game developers. It is also very easy-to-use and simple to navigate. Male and female terms are color-coded to make them easier for beginners to spot, for example.

Pro #2: Affordable Price

There are a few membership levels including three-, six- or twelve-month options. There is also an option to purchase a lifetime membership, so you never have to feel like you’re not getting your money’s worth. For all of the learning materials, we feel the value is good, if not better, than most other language-learning programs out there.

Pro #3: Freestyle Learning

Ouino lets you choose how you learn. There is a guided pathway that follows most academic plans, but you do not have to learn in this linear form if you do not want to. Instead, focus on pronunciation, listening or on building your Spanish background.

Ouino CONS

Con #1: Lacks Variation

In spite of the mountains of material offered, the lessons can become repetitive and boring. Boredom is the bane of anyone trying to learn a language on their own. The exercises themselves do not change from lesson to lesson, only the verbs and conjugations.

Con #2: Exercises are Limited on Time

We found ourselves simply choosing an answer to beat the clock, not because we actually knew the correct one. We feel this aspect of the program adds to the stress of learning and forces you to move too quickly through some exercises. We would rather take our time and truly learn the material rather than guessing.

How Does Ouino Work?

Audio, Video and Written Lessons

No matter what type of lesson you choose to complete, you will find self-evaluations at the end. This allows you to give yourself a “star” rating on how well you feel you grasped the material. It is easy to look at these ratings to go back and review these lessons later.

The exercises in lessons include typing in letters or words to form sentences, matching English translation to Spanish recordings, matching correct verb endings, and recording your pronunciation to compare to that of a native speaker’s.

Practice Exercises

Practice exercises accompany each lesson so you can put to use what you recently learned. These exercises are timed, and we found that to add some stress to the situation, but others may like the competition. We would like to see more of these exercises for additional practice.

Games and Quizzes

There is a variety of games and quizzes to help test what you know. They are interactive and entertaining and often include a countdown clock for added competition. There is a scoring system and you can use points to get hints or buy yourself more time on questions.

Ouino ‘How To’ Videos

These ‘how to’ videos will help you through downloading the program, working the app, Ouino’s philosophy on learning, and how to get the most out of the program. You will also find ways you can customize the program with speeds of playback, text display, and time for exercises.

Who Is Ouino Spanish For?

Ouino is very open about the fact that language-learning is specific to the individual. In the case of Ouino, we feel those who would benefit from its use include those who:

Who Is Ouino Spanish NOT For?

On the other hand, spending the money on a language-learning program might not be a good idea for those who:

Ouino Spanish Alternatives

Ouino Spanish vs. Rosetta Stone Spanish

With similar pricing and coursework, one would easily compare Ouino to Rosetta Stone. We found their differences to be slight with Ouino having a less-structured approach. Rosetta Stone relies heavily on spaced-repetition and does not give users many variations as to what and how they learn.

Ouino Spanish vs. Pimsleur Spanish

Pimsleur teaches language learning with podcasts only. They call this an organic style of learning that is the same way you learned how to speak your native language. You will not find many exercises for reading or writing as this program is strictly listening-based.

Ouino Spanish vs. SpanishPod101

Innovative Languages’ SpanishPod101 is just one of many language-learning courses offered. Like Ouino, SpanishPod101 has more variety than either Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone. You will find comprehensive learning pathways, along with other pathways that are more streamlined for specific situations.

SpanishPod101 offers a free lifetime account that includes three lessons from each learning pathway. Monthly subscriptions can be purchased for extra access and are in line with Ouino’s pricing.

Ouino Spanish Cost

Ouino has three main subscription costs and the price per month drops the longer you sign up. A three-month subscription is $12.99 per month, a six-month subscription is $9.99 per month and a 12-month subscription is just $6.99 per month.

Each of these subscriptions includes:

You can also get Lifetime Access for $95.76, regularly $311.76, for a limited time by using this link. Along with the above-listed features the Lifetime Access also includes:

Click here to see the newest discounts on Ouino Spanish

Ouino Spanish Review: Final Thoughts

All in all, we find this to be a fairly affordable program that offers good value for all the content. We would recommend it mostly for beginners to low-intermediate users as more advanced speakers might find the repetitive exercises to be boring. Purchasing lifetime access makes the most sense as some language-learning programs will cost just as much in a few months.

Click here to save 70% on Ouino Spanish

Why Use Audiobooks for Spanish

Anyone who has tried to learn to speak Spanish is probably tired of practicing ordering waffles. I mean, how many waffles can a person eat? It’s true that structured courses can get a bit boring, and that can make you less likely to continue learning.

Audiobooks are a fun way to get practice listening to Spanish while oftentimes enjoying an intriguing tale. A few other bonuses of listening to a Spanish audiobook include:

You are involved in passive listening. This means you can do almost anything else while listening to your book. Vacuuming may be out, but a good dusting can still happen.

Passive listening allows you to absorb Spanish while going about your daily life. This will only increase your comprehension and reading skills in Spanish.

You will build fluency. Simply listening to audiobooks in your spare time will increase your fluency. This is especially helpful, because many learning programs focus on reading and writing. Listening helps you to better speak the language, and isn’t that your goal, anyway?

You are setting up a routine. If you are like me, you cannot just leave a story in the middle of it. You have to finish to the end. Listening to a Spanish audiobook almost forces you into the routine of practicing your Spanish. Since you want to know what happens next, you continue to keep the routine.

How to Get Your Free Spanish Audiobooks

Yes, I said “free!” You can download and read any of Audible’s Spanish audiobooks during your FREE trial period. Simply, sign up for your free trial, and you will get 30-days Free to explore Audible’s library.

The best part about this free deal is that you can continue your membership with a monthly subscription or cancel at any time with no penalties. Certainly, a month is plenty of time to get some good Spanish reads—or rather listens—under your belt.

Choices, Choices

With so many options, it can be difficult to know which free Spanish audiobooks to choose. Newer speakers at the A1/A2 level might be better off choosing a Spanish audiobook designed specifically for beginners. On the other hand, further advanced readers have plenty of options, too.

So you are not overwhelmed, we have compiled a list of the audiobooks we feel are most beneficial to Spanish-learners below.

The Best Free Spanish Audiobooks

1. Spanish Short Stories for Beginners

• Written by: Alicia García
• Narrated by: Alicia García
• Length: 10 hours, 6 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Narrated by native-Spanish speaker, Alicia Garciía, Spanish Short Stories for Beginners includes 28 entertaining short stories with vocabulary lists and tips and tricks to help you better learn at the end of each story.

2. El Quijote Contado a los Niños (Don Quixote Told to Children)

• Written by: Rosa Navarra Durán
• Narrated by: Eduardo Ruales
• Length: 1 hour, 57 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Don Quixote Told to Children is a fun and exciting tale of the honorable and good, if not slightly mad, Quixote as if it were being told to children. This makes it a five-star pick for Spanish advanced beginners to low intermediate learners.

3. Padre Rico, Padre Pobre (Rich Dad, Poor Dad)

• Written by: Robert T. Kiyosaki
• Narrated by: Jesús Flores Jaimes
• Length: 6 hours, 24 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Rich Dad, Poor Dad was originally released in 1997 and quickly became a best-seller. The author relays lessons learned from his own father (poor dad) and a friend’s father (rich dad), and how he used these lessons for his own entrepreneurship. Most readers had a love/hate relationship with the book. It made our list for its still-sound advice about handling your finances.

4. Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal (Harry Potter 1)

• Written by: J. K. Rowling
• Narrated by: Carlos Ponce
• Length: 8 hours, 16 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Harry Potter fans will delight in the first edition in Spanish. The soon-to-be classic tale of the wizard boy living with his muggle aunt and uncle who is whisked away to Hogwart’s for the adventure of his life is always uplifting. It also makes learning Spanish way more fun.

5. Los Cuatro Acuerdos (The Four Agreements)

• Written by: Don Miguel Ruiz
• Narrated by: David Albaladejo
• Length: 2 hours, 55 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Originally released in 1997, this self-help book, The Four Agreements, centers around the four rules for a fuller life. These rules include being impeccable with words, not taking things personally, not making assumptions and always trying your best.

6. Los secretos de la mente millonaria (The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind)

• Written by: T. Harv Eker
• Narrated by: Edwin Roldán
• Length: 2 hours, 9 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind focuses on the mentality of making money efficiently teaching how to think like a millionaire. It tells the story of Eker’s rise to fortune, his fall with bankruptcy, and the lessons he learned along the way.

7. El Alquimista (The Alchemist)

• Written by: Paulo Coehlo
• Narrated by: Thomas Leighton
• Length: 4 hours, 47 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Alchemist was written in 1988 and focuses largely on finding one’s own path and destination in life. The idea is that what you truly desire will become yours because the entire universe works to achieve it. The joy in this book is discovering this self-help within the story of an Andalusian boy searching for treasure.

8. El Hombre Mas Rico De Babilonia (The Richest Man in Babylon)

• Written by: George S. Clason
• Narrated by: Marcelo Russo
• Length: 5 hours, 20 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

George S. Clason’s The Richest Man in Babylon is based on his “seven rules for the acquisition of goods.” In a practical and honest way, he offers pragmatic solutions with a detailed financial plan for economical success.

9. El principito (The Little Prince)

• Written by: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
• Narrated by: Borja Rodríguez
• Length: 1 hour, 38 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Little Prince is the story of a boy living alone on his own asteroid. He has a flower but soon becomes lonely. So, he sets off to find a friend traveling to different planets and eventually landing upon Earth. Here he is met with a snake who gives the boy a very pessimistic view of humans. Eventually, the boy finds friendship in another human after he was ready to return to his own lonely planet.

10. Intermediate Spanish Short Stories

• Written by: Lingo Mastery
• Narrated by: Mariela Arredondo
• Length: 5 hours, 31 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Intermediate Spanish Short Stories consists of 10 engaging stories that cover a variety of subjects including personal relationships and traveling. Each chapter ends with a study guide designed for intermediate learners. There is also a summary of each story and vocabulary words ensuring you understand them.

11. Sapiens: De animales a dioses (Sapiens: From Animals to Gods)

• Written by: Yuval Noah Harari
• Narrated by: Carlos Manuel Vesga
• Length: 17 hours, 26 minutes
• Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

For the advanced Spanish speaker, consider Sapiens: From Animals to Gods. Winning the Nonfiction Book of the Year award, this international best-seller attempts to tell the story of the history of humanity. Intriguing and in-depth, this book will fascinate anyone.

There you have it! Our list of 11 Spanish Audiobooks you can listen to for free right now.

If you like this article, you might be interested in our Spanish Pod 101 Review.

What is a Podcast?

Simply put, podcasts are digital recordings that you can stream or download to your device. Originally used to share information with small groups, podcasts have grown and are used by nearly all industries including news, schools, radio networks, businesses, and even for language-learning.

Why you Should Find the Best Spanish-Learning Podcast

Beyond being convenient for on-the-go learning, Spanish podcasts are also very user-friendly. They also give you an authentic way to hear Spanish being spoken by native speakers for better comprehension. A few other benefits of using Spanish podcasts include:

• You can find many quality podcasts that are absolutely free
• Podcasts are great at improving listening and comprehension
• Most are of professional quality and some include transcripts
• You have control of the speed of the information presented and can repeat it if needed
• They are easy to add to an existing Spanish course or lessons

The Best Podcasts to Learn Spanish

We won’t leave you hanging. We have done the research for you and the following, in no specific order, are our choices for the best Spanish-learning podcasts.

1. News in Slow Spanish

Best for Listening Comprehension

News in Slow Spanish is exactly what its name implies. This is a great way to hone your listening skills while learning to speak Spanish. Though having some background in Spanish is helpful, beginners can start picking up new words and sounds with the Get Up To Speed, or GUTS, program.

This podcast was designed for those learning to speak Spanish, so the pace is very slow. It can also be quite entertaining with subjects ranging from world news and politics to culture and various technologies.

News in Slow Spanish

View on Apple Podcasts

2. SpanishPod101

Best for Variety

SpanishPod101 is offered by Innovative Languages and wins our Best Variety category because it offers lessons by native speakers from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries including Spain, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. There are four expertise levels from absolute beginner to advanced.

For premium features like voice recording, flashcards, assessments and one-on-one instruction, you will need to splurge for a paid subscription. The free plan offers some podcasts and the first three lessons in each learning pathway. Instructors are interesting and engaging but can get somewhat lost in their own banter. If you don’t mind paying for superior resources, we think this is one of the best podcasts to learn Spanish out there.

SpanishPod101

View on Apple Podcasts

3. CNN en Español

Best for Advanced Study

If you have been studying for a while, test your knowledge with CNN en Español. You will find the largest selection of world news and other topics to listen to in Spanish.

Episodes are mostly quick newscasts and new ones are added daily. You can pick and choose your favorite subjects and listen on the way to work, in the school pick-up line, or on the train.

CNN en Español

View on Tunein Podcasts

4. Españolistos

Best for Intriguing Topics

Españolistos was designed by Andrea, a Colombian Spanish teacher, and Nate, a Caucasian. It claims to be spoken 99% in Spanish and to provide interesting, and sometimes controversial, topics to keep listeners interested.

You’ll find both Latin American and American English dialects. Andrea’s correction of her partner’s pronunciation, at times, is particularly fun to listen to. The goal is to pick up on new vocabulary as you slowly listen to the language spoken.

Españolistos

View on Apple Podcasts

5. Coffee Break Spanish

Best for Beginning to Intermediate Speakers

Coffee Break Spanish is a fun way to listen to Spanish through storytelling. It moves slowly for the listener to keep up and advance as they are ready. As you learn to speak Spanish, you can move up to more recent lessons.

Lessons are generally a quick 15 to 20 minutes long much like visiting with a friend at a coffee shop. Because this podcast caters to new and intermediate speakers, there is quite a bit of English spoken in the lessons.

Coffee Break Spanish

View on Apple Podcasts

6. Radio Ambulante

Best for Storytelling

Radio Ambulante was brought to you by NPR and those behind This American Life podcast. Each episode is about 30 minutes long and tells interesting and personal stories at that time.

Spoken in east-to-understand, clear Spanish, an intermediate speaker should have no issues following along. Topics vary widely but include subjects like Latino struggles around the world and issues like diversity.

Radio Ambulante

View on Apple Podcasts

7. Audiria

Best for Fun, Fresh Topics

Originally designed to be a non-profit organization to promote the Spanish language, two brothers from Malaga are responsible for Audiria. The site is not updated regularly, but there are over 820 free podcasts ready to go with fresh ones added now and then.

They are tagged by their levels of difficulty so the beginner or advanced speaker knows exactly where to start. Along with the podcasts, you can find other learning materials in the program covering a variety of real-life situations.

Audiria

View on Apple Podcasts

8. Spanish Obsessed

Best for all Levels

The Spanish Obsessed podcasts are by Rob and Liz. Rob is from England while Liz is from Colombia. The couple speaks slow enough for you to understand them, yet manages to keep the conversations engaging.

Most podcasts are under 20 minutes and they also offer Spanish learning materials, cultural advice and articles. Subscribe to the service to receive regular updates. You can tell Rob and Liz truly enjoy what they are doing and they cater to beginners through advanced speakers.

Spanish Obsessed

View on Apple Podcasts

9. Podcast in Spanish

Best for Advanced Listening Skills

Podcast in Spanish uses natural conversations in real Spanish for beginners through advanced learners. As promised these conversations seem to take place between two friends at normal speaking speed. It can be tough for the new learner to follow along at times.

Luckily, along with podcasts, you can find vocabulary exercises, worksheets with answers and transcripts. Going back and listening to the podcast after doing the extra activities makes it much more understandable. Subjects and topics include trips to the zoo, neighborhood services, and how social networking affects us.

Podcast in Spanish

View on Apple Podcasts

10. Notes in Spanish

Best for Spanish in Spain

The couple, Ben and Marina, operate Notes in Spanish with three expertise levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced speaker. The husband and wife team offer worksheets with each podcast to further enhance learning. Each podcast has a recap of the previous one, so you never feel like you’re starting out cold.

With over 40 million downloads since their inception in May 2005, the duo must be doing something right. The couple speaks of everyday things together in these podcasts, and some users claim to have gone from absolute beginner to fluent with this program alone.

Notes in Spanish

View on Apple Podcasts

11. Pimsleur Spanish

Best for Learning Quickly

The Pimsleur Method consists of learning another language in much the same way you learned your native language; by listening and repeating. This language-learning program consists solely of podcasts. You get a free week to try it out and then you must pay for a subscription to continue learning.

Pimsleur promises that with just 30 minutes of study per day, you will be able to speak Spanish in just 30 days. Similarly to the way you learn the lyrics to your favorite songs on the radio, Pimsleur teaches you in the most organic method.

Pimsleur Spanish

View on Apple Podcasts

12. Study Spanish

Best for a Solid Spanish Foundation

Study Spanish is one of the most organized groups of podcasts. Each one focuses on actual subjects rather than simply allowing you to listen to stories or conversations. Examples include learning cardinal numbers, days of the week, regular verbs, stem-changing verbs, and even weather expressions.

You will find the first few podcasts are free, and then you must subscribe to see all of the content. These lessons are much more formal than other podcasts we’ve come across and offer grammatical explanations.

Study Spanish

View on Study Spanish Podcasts

13. Duolingo Spanish Podcast

Best for Grammar

Duolingo is the wildly popular, game-like app for learning languages, and it now offers podcasts for both French and Spanish. Each podcast lasts about 20 minutes and consists of storytelling to help improve listening comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary.

They are designed from the English-speaker’s perspective so you will find quite a bit of English used throughout. The storyteller only uses Spanish, and Marina will go over everything afterward to explain in English.

Duolingo Spanish Podcast

View on Apple Podcasts

14. In the Thick

Best for Controversial Issue Discussions

If you are not the small-talk type of person, In the Thick might be just the podcast series you are looking for. Hosted by journalists, Julio Ricardo Varela and Maria Hinojosa, these podcasts cover a variety of traditionally taboo dinner-table conversations.

Race, politics, gender identity and domestic terrorism are all topics you might encounter. The podcasts are free to listen to, but the duo relies on donations to keep them up and running.

In the Thick

View on Apple Podcasts

15. Latina to Latina

Best for Learning of Latina Accomplishments

Latina to Latina is a podcast series dedicated to interviewing accomplished Spanish women. Most podcasts end up being quite hilarious, though serious topics like living as a woman of color dominate the interviews.

Alicia Menendez hosts various Latinas including Gina Torres and the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz. Though the interviews are focused on Latin women, both men and women can benefit from these podcasts.

Latina to Latina

View on Apple Podcasts

And there you have it!  Our list of the 15 Best Podcasts to Learn Spanish. Which one is your favorite?